A 30s Office Worker Who Traveled to 33 Countries for Free, Is the Secret 30 Credit Cards?

[Financial News]  A 30s office worker in the United States has become a hot topic for traveling to 33 countries around the world using only credit card points.

According to CNBC and others on the 22nd (local time), David Do (33), a Vietnamese-American working as a social worker in a medical office with an annual salary of $78,000 (about 110 million won), has traveled to 33 countries so far.

He has traveled to Honduras, Japan, Singapore, Norway, Turkey, India, and aims to visit a total of 35 countries before the age of 35.

The secret to how Do, an ordinary office worker, could travel to so many countries was not income but a spending strategy.

Introducing himself as a 'travel hacker', he explained that he reduced expenses by using the credit card point system to get free or discounted airfare and accommodation.

Currently holding about 30 credit cards, Do is said to maximize points by changing payment methods according to each card's benefits every month.

Do explained, "I strategically utilize the additional accrual categories that change every month for each credit card."

For example, in March, Do paid $753 (about 1.04 million won) spent at a restaurant with a Discover card that has a 5% food expense accrual benefit, and handled airfare and train tickets with a Capital One travel card, and orders from Amazon with an Amazon Chase card.

He also employs a strategy of applying for new cards to target 'sign-up bonus points' when large expenses are anticipated, adjusting the timing to match cards offering large sign-up bonuses for tuition, car insurance, quarterly taxes, and other significant payments.

Since 2017, Do has used over 1 million points, but he maintains a restrained consumption philosophy by always using economy class and not booking luxury hotels.

Currently, Do holds about 370,000 miles and is known to be planning his next trips to Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

newssu@fnnews.com Kim Suyeon Reporter